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Colour is the new black

by Robyn Gallagher

Colour is so hot right now. Colour blocking is all over fashion - big bold chunks of bright colour. Ok, I know, this is New Zealand - colour is scary.

But there's something about colour that brings a little cheer and happiness. Perhaps this is why big colour has come back into vogue -with all the things there are to worry about these days, it's nice to have something to just give you a little lift. Wearing black on the outside because black is how you feel on the inside is a luxury for boom times.

So with this in mind, I've started to notice colour when I'm out and about. Here are a few selections from the bold new world of colour that is 2011.

Offbeat Originals was a quirky cafe cum second-hand shop in Wellington. Not that their non-edible stock ever seemed to shift, but it was still cool to enjoy a toasted sandwich surrounded by old coffee pots, Thermos flasks and giant orange reels of yarn. Photo: © Robyn Gallagher 2011

Once a month, Wellington bar Mighty Mighty throw open their doors during the day to hold the Mighty Mighty Markets. It took me about eight attempts to get this shot, due to the randomness from Wellington's wind. Photo: © Robyn Gallagher 2011

I kept seeing this little fellow hanging out atop a sign in Petone. I couldn't leave him unphotographed, so one day I jumped off the bus, clambered onto a planter box and got this shot. I figure the old jail now has a mascot whether or not it likes it. Photo: © Robyn Gallagher 2011

The iconic James Smiths building is getting its paint job refreshed. With so many historic buildings being painted in dull beige and grey tones, it's really encouraging that this building is keeping its '90s-style pastel colours. Photo: © Robyn Gallagher 2011

A couple of months ago when visiting Melbourne, I paid several visits to a cool little cafe called Hardware Societé. I'd always get a pot of peppermint and fennel tea, which was served with this cheerful tea cosy. A better pick-me-up than caffeine? Yeah, why not? Photo: © Robyn Gallagher 2011

If there's one place where colour never goes out of fashion, it's the local haberdashery. I don't even know what ribbons are used for, really, but it's so nice to just take in the wall of shiny colour. Photo: © Robyn Gallagher 2011

This boy and girl floppy disk pair had been glued up on the bottom of a mail box on Cuba Street. The boy had started to slip when I took this photo, but I loved the sneaky little pair enjoying some forbidden love. Photo: © Robyn Gallagher 2011

Walking past the vicarage of St George's church in Seatoun, I was first noticed the bright red gate and then the sly Apple sticker. For a house that looks so Anglican, it's nice to have a couple of extravagant touches. Photo: © Robyn Gallagher 2011

This trio of doors in Melbourne reminded me of something from a 1990s adventure video game. You know, "Walk to DOOR 1. Open DOOR 1. In front of you is FIRE HOSE REEL. Use FIRE HOSE REEL." Yeah, it's not as much fun in real life. Photo: © Robyn Gallagher 2011

Walking down Lambton Quay, suddenly this giant rack of colourful tops appeared. This is what this summer is going to be about, because now that the sun is out, we can stop feeling so miserable and start letting some colour back in. Photo: © Robyn Gallagher 2011